The Electoral Process In The United States Election Process

The United States election process is one of great importance and significance to the American government. Yet voting can be one of most confusing topics to its citizens. How does an election work? How does your vote make a difference in our county? What is the Electoral College and what is its purpose? These questions have been asked and thought of by many Americans for generations. As with everything in government, the process is much more complex than it seems. On the surface, electing a president might seem like a simple task: Everyone votes for whoever they wish, and the candidate that receives the most votes wins the election. This, however, is not at all close to how it actually works. In fact, our system is not a purely democratic one like you might …show more content…
Each state has a certain number of delegates available, based on the population and the Congressional representation. Overall, for the Republican Party, there are 2472 delegates up for grabs, and 1237 are needed to win the nomination. As for the Democrats, a nominee must win at least 2383 of the 4765 total delegates. In July of the election year, each party holds a convention to where the delegates vote and nominate their candidate. The winners then move into the national stage, where they campaign against each other. As with the national electors, these delegates can change their mind, but it very rare. The candidates use every moment up until the November election in an attempt to sway voters in their favor. By this time, the two remaining candidates have been through almost two years of heavy campaigning and debating. Yet only one of them will become the new president. When the winner takes the office, he has already been through many tests and trials. He now has the critically important job of governing the citizens of the United States, which is no easy task in